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4-6. Driving tips
●Use fluids that are appropriate t o the prevailing outside tempera-
tures. • Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have a service technician inspec t the condition of the battery.
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set of tire
chains for the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains match
the size of the tires.
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before
driving the vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a ma n-
ner appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions.
Preparation for winter
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3474-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
Perform the following according to the driving conditions:
● Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is fr ozen.
Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice. Wipe away
the water immediately to p revent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of the climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents in
front of the windshield.
● Check for and remove any excess ic e or snow that may have accu-
mulated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s roof, chassis, around the
tires or on the brakes.
● Remove any snow or mud from the bottom of your shoes before
getting in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced speed suitable to roa d con-
ditions.
● Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P without setting the
parking brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from
being released. If the vehicle is parked without setting the pa rking
brake, make sure t o block the wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerou s because it may cause the vehi-
cle to move unexpectedly, pos sibly leading to an accident.
● If the vehicle is parked without setting the parking brake, confirm
that the shift lever c annot be moved out of P
*.
*: The shift lever will be locked if it is attempted to be shifte d from P to any
other position without depressing the brake pedal. If the shift lever can be
shifted from P, there may be a problem with the shift lock syst em. Have the
vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Before driving the vehicle
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
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3484-6. Driving tips
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Use the correct tire chain size when mounting the snow chains.
Chain size is regulate d for each tire size.
Side chain: 0.12 in. (3 mm) in diameter
0.39 in. (10 mm) in width
1.18 in. (30 mm) in length
Cross chain: 0.16 in. (4 mm) in diameter
0.55 in. (14 mm) in width
0.98 in. (25 mm) in length
Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary depending on loca-
tion and type of road. Always chec k local regulations before installing
chains.
■ Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions when installing and removing chains:
● Install and remove tire chains in a safe location.
● Install tire chains on the front tires. Do not install tire chains on the rear tires.
● Install tire chains on front tires as tightly as possible. Reti ghten chains after
driving 1/4 1/2 mile (0.5 1.0 km).
● Install tire chains following the instructions provided with th e tire chains.
Selecting tire chains
1
2
3
4
5
6
Regulations on the use of tire chains
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3494-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
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WARNING
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of acciden ts.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and ca use death or
serious injury.
● Use tires of the size specified.
● Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
● Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120 km/h), regardless of the type of
snow tires being used.
● Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
■ Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of acciden ts.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle being unable to be d riven safely,
and may cause death or serious injury.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit specified for the tir e chains being
used, or 30 mph (50 km/h), whichever is lower.
● Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
● Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shifting
operations that cause sudden engine braking.
● Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that v ehicle con-
trol is maintained.
● Do not use LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) sys tem.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from Toyota dealer s or legiti-
mate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affect s the opera-
tion of the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters.
■ Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not funct ion correctly
when tire chains are fitted.
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3514-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
Your vehicle is not designed to be driven off-road. However, in the
event that off-road driving cannot be avoided, please observe the fol-
lowing precautions to help avoid the areas prohibited to vehicl es.
● Drive your vehicle only in areas where off-road vehicles are pe rmit-
ted to travel.
● Respect private property. Get owner’s permission before enterin g
private property.
● Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and s igns
that restrict travel.
● Stay on established roads. When c onditions are wet, driving tech-
niques should be changed or travel delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
● AWD models: Avoid driving on very steep, slippery roads and oth er
surfaces, such as sand, where the tires are liable to lose trac tion.
Your vehicle may not perform as well as conventional AWD on-roa d
vehicles on these surfaces.
■ Additional information for off-road driving
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your veh icle off-road,
consult the following organizations.
● State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
● State Motor Vehicle Bureau
● Recreational Vehicle Clubs
● U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
Off-road driving
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501
7Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U7-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 502
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 506
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 509
General maintenance........ 512
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs......................... 515
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ..................... 516
Hood ................................. 518
Positioning a floor jack ...... 520
Engine compartment ......... 521
Tires .................................. 533
Tire inflation pressure ....... 544
Wheels .............................. 547
Air conditioning filter.......... 549
Wireless remote control/ electronic key battery ...... 551
Checking and replacing fuses ............................... 554
Light bulbs......................... 558
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5147-2. Maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors• Do the doors operate smoothly?
Engine hood• Does the engine hood lock system work prop-erly?
Fluid leaks• There should not be any signs of fluid leakageafter the vehicle has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire inflati on pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or exces- sively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the
maintenance schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Windshield wipers/rear
window wiper
• The wiper blades should not show any signs
of cracking, splitting, wear, contamination or
deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the windshield/
rear window without streaking or skipping.
WARNING
■If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there is adequate ventilati on before per-
forming maintenance checks.
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5337-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
Check if the treadwear indicators are showing on the tires. Also check
the tires for uneven wear, such as excessive wear on one side o f the
tread.
Check the spare tire condition and pressure if not rotated.
New tread
Worn tread
Treadwear indicator
The location of treadwear indicators is shown by a “TWI” or “” mark,
etc., molded into the s idewall of each tire.
Replace the tires if the treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance sched-
ules and treadwear.
Checking tires
1
2
3